Harlequin Intrigue September 2013 - Bundle 2 of 2: Task Force Bride\Bodyguard Under Fire\Most Eligible Spy by Julie Miller

Author:Julie Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“This isn’t a good time, Hank.” Hope had thought answering her phone would give the idea to the stunning brunette reporter that she had a business to run and the interview needed to be over. She’d been wrong.

“Is that the boyfriend?” Vanessa Owen drummed her dark red nails on top of the central counter in Hope’s shop.

Boyfriend? Hope snapped her mouth shut as soon as she realized the surprise that must have registered on her face. With a quick no, she turned away from the curious reporter. “I have people here. I need to go.”

If she had known it was her father on the line, she would have let it go to voice mail, closed her shop and locked herself in the storeroom until all these people who wanted something from her left her alone. “We’re just a few minutes from your place.” Hank was in charming mode this morning. But that would change soon enough if he didn’t get his way. “Won’t be any trouble to stop by for lunch. I’d like to catch up on all the time we missed.”

“I’m busy.”

“What about dinner?”

“I can’t.”

“What if I said I was dying?”

“Are you?” She hugged an arm around her waist and dropped her voice to a whisper.

That he didn’t answer told her the pang of remorse she’d felt for a split second had been a wasted emotion. The charm bleeding from his voice confirmed it. “What if I said it was about Harry? Would that get you to listen to me?”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Girl, I’m your father. I raised you.” She’d raised herself. He had nearly killed her. “There are certain expectations and responsibilities. You have to talk to me.”

“You know, actually? I don’t.” Hope hung up and set the phone on the counter.

“Oh, good.” Seeing that the call had ended, Vanessa Owen wasted no time in asking one more question. “Could you hold that dress up beside you again?” She snapped her fingers to call her cameraman back from the shop’s front door. “Damien, make sure you get a picture of this. My viewers will love the wedding dress angle. You see those shows all over cable these days, don’t you? Very popular.”

“I suppose.” Hope blinked against the camera’s bright light as she hung up the white gown on the tall hook beside the central counter. She wasn’t sure what wedding dresses had to do with an interview about the Rose Red Rapist, but after two hours of questions on everything from why she’d been up so late the night she saw the van to why she thought she hadn’t been singled out as a victim yet, Hope was certain Vanessa would use whatever footage and sound bites guaranteed her the biggest viewership.

“Vanessa, how much longer are you and your vultures going to prey on Hope this morning?”

Brian Elliott didn’t seem particularly thrilled to have his eleven o’clock appointment delayed by the intrusion of television cameras and reporters still lingering on the sidewalk in front of Fairy Tale Bridal.

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